HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Will flare-ups clear up on their own?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/3/2009 6:22 PM (GMT 0)

I have recently gone to see a new doctor as the doc that I had before seemed to only treat with steroids. My new doctor is wonderful and has presented me with many options. The next course of treatment is going to be the Remicade. I have been bleeding for about the past week and a half and have had diarreah. I originally had pain too but that has gone away.

Will my flare-up go away if I do everything that I am supposed to - meaning that I stay away from everything that I know bothers me? I really don't want to call my doctor to start the remicade yet if I can get this under control myself. I am a little disheartened that I am still bleeding and have diarreah but also a little hopeful that since I have gotten rid of the pain, I may be able to handle this one myself.

I have been in the clear for about 1 1/2 months since my last steroid enema treatments - which so far is the longest I have been able to be "normal". If anyone has been able to get theirs under control on their own, would you share how long it took for you to get rid of our awful symptoms? If you do call your doctor, how long do you wait before you call??

Thanks for any insight you can provide,

Posted 6/3/2009 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
Mine have never cleared on their own. WHen I was diagnosed in 2007, I was flaring mildly for months before even being able to get into a GI for treatment. I had minimal symptoms but they never got better, only worse. After I started using Canasa, they improved but never fully went away. After I stopped using Canasa and I got really bad. Once again, had to wait to see the GI. During that time, I tried a lot of different herbals, vitamins and diets and nothing helped significantly. I just got worse and worse. Then I had to get on Asacol which has helped but I've still had some blips. Maybe you will get better, I didn't.
Posted 6/3/2009 8:23 PM (GMT 0)

I was diagnosed in January of 2007 but now realize I've been having annual flare's since the early 90's.  Before I was diagnosed my flares would go away on their own, now they just seem to get worse and never better.  I'm not sure why they went away, whether it was because of a change in diet or stress or because my Colitis wasn't as severe as it is now. 

Posted 6/3/2009 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
Yes. For some people, flares can go away on their own.

I changed my diet with my first flare. I didn't know I had colitis, but I had an addiction to HFCS beverages and chocolate. So when I started seeing blood come out of my butt, I freaked out and started drinking water, adding fiber to my diet, stopped drinking HFCS beverages, and stopped eating chocolate. I gradually got better. The flare lasted six months.


My second flare was worse. I ended up having to take Prednisone, but I couldn't reduce my dosage below 25 mgs. I did fecal transplantation, which put my flare immediately into remission. This flare also lasted six months.

about a month after the flare, I discovered I had been drinking the wrong things--V8, apple, and grape juice. It was the only thing I could get down me at the time. because I had been feeling very nauseous from losing so much blood. It turns out I'm fructose intolerant, which means no juice, especially no apple and grape juice, and V8 contains tomatoes, which is pro-inflammatory. So the fecal transplantation was a real colon saver.

My third flare was also bad. Immediately, I started taking Asacol/Colazol, but they didn't help. My flare kept getting worse. about a month into the flare, I saw some probiotics for sale in the drug store. I bought and started taking them. And I started eating anti-inflammatory foods and avoiding pro-inflammatory foods, in addition to avoiding anything is high in fructose. My flare lasted three months.
Posted 6/3/2009 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
     Joy...what are pro inflammatory foods?  Would they be acidic in nature?  Makes sense because we were vacationing in PA for three weeks and ate at a wonderful Italian restaurant but I ate foods which really didn't agree with me....ravioli, garlic bread (which upset my stomach).  I started flaring the next day.

     In answer to the original question.  My flares never went away by themselves.  I always had to take meds, usually wound up taking prednisone, which I am trying to avoid at the present time.

Posted 6/4/2009 3:42 AM (GMT 0)
my flares used to go away on their own. but they were mild back then and i didnt know i had UC.

now they are worse and worse each time. and the last bad one lasted year and a half. and i bled the ENTIRE time.
i bleed every single time i go to the toilet. 20+ times a day. allways lots of blood. most of time its just blood and no poo.
i puke as well and i am constantly nauseaus.
the pain is awful. on oxycontin every 4 hours or i cant handle it.
back on 40mg of pred as of 2 days ago.
already lost 10 pounds in week and a half.
about to start imuran, but am afraid it will make me sick so im procrastinating on taking it. (since i already feel sick as a dog)

i find it hard to get into remission. but once i do, i am fine and bouncy and completely normal.
and forget about UC until it comes back. then i realise how freakin horrible it is.
good luck, but i cant get better by myself with no med help.
even with med help, its hard.
Posted 6/4/2009 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
My last flare didn't go away on its' own, but I didn't take meds either. I changed my diet.
Posted 6/4/2009 5:49 AM (GMT 0)
Pro-inflammatory foods (Avoid):

junk foods
fried foods
spicy foods (hence very mild curries as opposed to spicy curries)
high-fat meats
processed meats
sugars
dairy
eggs
Nightshades (tomatoes, white potatoes, bell peppers, chili, paprika, eggplant)



Anti-inflammatory foods/ingredients (Eat/Drink):

turmeric (mild curries)
Omega-3
salmon
soybeans, tofu, and soy milk
whole grain products (if not intolerant)
oatmeal
nuts
green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach)
berries
garlic


Tension Tamer tea from Celestial Seasonings contains Chamomile, cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, licorice, catnip, and Tilia--all of which are anti-inflammatory.
Posted 6/5/2009 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
I've never had a flare go away on its own in my 13 years with UC. Always needed prednisone. The disease/flares are not caused by food choices so are rarely fixed by food choices. As far as how long to wait before I call--I call asap when I see blood and when it is waking me up in the night. I know, for me, waiting will only spiral it downward until I can no longer go to work or take care of my kids and end up in hosp.
Good luck! How great to hear you've found a doc you like.
Posted 6/5/2009 11:29 AM (GMT 0)
My first massive flare so many years ago did resolve itself over about 6 months - I refused treatment when I realized it consisted of colonoscopies and cortisone. I was only 28 years old back then. Flares in later years, which happened in my '40's, however, have not gone into remission spontaneously. Or maybe I do not have the patience to wait them out...
Posted 6/5/2009 1:32 PM (GMT 0)

Thank you for your advice about your flares- it sounds like it is pretty unsuccessful to try to get rid of them on your own. I have had D & blood since the post. I had D this morning and then had a final normal bowel movement after that!! I'm going to wait until monday to see if I can hold out through the weekend. My next step is Remicade which I'm scared of. I hear of many of you having success stories so I need to just get over it! Thank you all, if anyone else still has advice, I would love for you to share :)

Posted 6/5/2009 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
My very first flare lasted about 4 months and it was very bad. It went away on it's own though almost overnight. I never got diagnosed at that time so I didn't know what was wrong with me. I didn't change my diet but I did kick my boyfriend out who was causing me great stress at the time. I went almost 6 years in remission without meds before I flared again. Since being on meds I've flared twice in about a year and a half.

Posted 6/5/2009 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Here is a link to some home remedies that are voted on best to worse. Maybe it provide a few ideas worth trying.

http://www.myhomeremedies.com/static/colitis.html
Posted 6/6/2009 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
Some do, some don't. You can take everything under the sun prescribed to you and it may not faze them. Stop everything and 3 weeks later its gone.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply